Kate Middleton prank results in suicide, resignations

The Australian radio personalities who pretended to be the Queen and pranked the London hospital where a pregnant Kate Middleton was under observation have resigned after the nurse who initially received the phone call was found dead of a suspected suicide. Jacintha Saldanha, the 46-year-old nurse who was duped by the DJs, was found dead on Friday morning.

Michael Christian and Mel Greig called the hospital on Tuesday, with Greig pretending to be Queen Elizabeth II. Middleton’s private nurse then proceeded to share details about the Dutchess’s medical condition on the air. Though the DJs had apologized for their joke, they had continued to make light of it on Twitter. “Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) are deeply saddened by the tragic news of the death of nurse Jacintha Saldanha from King Edward VII’s Hospital and we extend our deepest sympathies to her family and all that have been affected by this situation around the world,” the radio station’s parent organization said in a statement. “Chief Executive Officer Rhys Holleran has spoken with the presenters, they are both deeply shocked and at this time we have agreed that they not comment about the circumstances. SCA and the hosts have decided that they will not return to their radio show until further notice out of respect for what can only be described as a tragedy.”